Automatic train-pipe connector.



I 1. V. ROBINSON 7 AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTOR. APPLICATION FILEDMAR. 3|, m4. RENEWED MAY 1.1916.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

witnesses ameutoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH V. ROBINSON, OF CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed June 10, 1912, Serial No. 702,818. Dividedand this application filed March 31, 1914, Serial No. 828,611. RenewedMay 1, 1916. Serial No. 94,758.

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH V. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Chevy Chase, county of Montgomery, State'of Maryland,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic tion hasfor its object to provide'an automatic train pipe connector head havingimproved guiding prongs extending forwardly and laterally of the head inthe horizontal ment between the facesof coupled heads;

plane and having also auxiliary guiding prongs extending upwardly of thehead in the vertical plane, and flaring laterally thereof, whereby agradual uniform gathering action is presented to the heads throughoutthe entire range of the prongs, effectively preventing jamming andbinding of the heads in connecting under the severest serviceconditions.

In coupling the usual automatic connector heads of the general type ofthe present invention, under a combination of extreme vertical andlateral disalinements, great difliculty is found in getting'such headsto aline accurately without fouling. Where, as in the present case, theguidin prongs of the heads extend forwardly o the coupling face of thelatter and at a right angle thereto for a short distance, to constitutea socket for closely receiving the sides of companion heads, the headsin coupling invariably am or stick at the entrance to said socket. Butwhere the guiding prongs are shaped so as to aline the heads accuratelywith the socket mentioned before they enter such socket this troublesomeobjection is readily overcome.

My invention provides prongs of thls construction and consists in thecomblnations, improvements and constru ctions hereinafter described,pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in wh1 ch:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of my 1mproved connector head mounted on ayieldable support for permitting universal movement of the head inservice. F g. 2 1s a front face view of m improved connector head.

5 Fig. 3, is a rear view thereof, and Fig. 4,

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

is a detail of one of the guides taken on I line 44 of Fig. 1.

' Any satisfactory form of support for carrylng the connector head maybe employed. I show' one of such supports at B connected to a lug 5 ofthe car in any suitable manner, as by bolts 6. My improved connectorhead A is mounted upon the forward end of-the support, is oblong inoutline and pro-.

vided with diagonally spaced guiding prongs 7 having base portionsextending perpendicularly to the face of the connector head andforwardly thereof at a right angle thereto for a short distance, toconstitute sockets'8 for closely engaging correspondingly shapedsurfaces 9 of a cooperating head for preventing relative angularmovesaid head being provided with auxiliary guiding prongs 10 extendingperpendicularly-or upwardly of the head and thence flaring laterallythereof, each of said prongs being connected with one edge of theguiding prong 7.

When connector heads not having my improved guiding prongs 7 coupleunder a vertical and lateral variation combined, the prong of the higherconnector head is invariably carried up and over the corresponding prongof the lower head. Then as the prongs aline the heads vertically and theI latter-approachthe entrance to the sockets 8, the prong of the lowerconnector head will am or impinge under the prong of the higher head atabout the .point 11, preventing coupling. By providing the head A withthe auxiliary guiding prongs shown, the

prong 7 of the lower connector head is-' held fromunder the similarprong of the higher connector head, said auxiliary prong serving toguide the heads laterally as they move in the vertical plane incoupling; thus effectively preventing all jamming. and fouling of theheads.

From the socket 8 the prongs 7 curve and diverge outwardly and areprovided with lateral shoulders 12, lying in the same horizontal planeand connected to said sockets 8 b curved portions 13 extendingtangentlally from the faces ofsaid sockets and lateral shoulders, asshown especially in Fig. 2, whereby biting or sticking of the edges 14of the prongs 7 upon the portions 13 of such prongs in coupling undersevere disalinement, is avoided. Such biting of plane,

the prong edge 14 is of great disadvantage since it prevents sliding ofthe connector head A freely along the edge 14 to coupled engagement.

Thus the aforesaid objections existing in previous types of guidingprongs I have effectively overcome by a simple construction which willbe inexpensive to ,make and will accurately aline opposing connectorheads with the sockets 8 infadvance of meeting of the faces of theheads, whereby the heads may slip into said sockets and come to finalinterlocked engagement free from all bindingand jamming.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. 'An automatic train pipe connector head having guiding prongsextending forwardly and outwardly of the head in the horizontal headhaving guiding prongs extending forwardly and outwardly from the headand having also an auxiliary guiding prong, said auxiliary prong beingconnected with the top of said head andbeing connected also names? withan edge of said first mentioned guiding prong and extending upwardlyfrom the head and flaring laterally therefrom.

4. An automatic train pipe connector head of oblong outline having apair of diagonally spaced forwardly extending outwardly divergingguiding prongs, and having also 7 a pair of auxiliary guiding prongsintegral with the top and bottom of the head and integral also with theedges of the first mentioned prongs that lie at the top and bottom ofsaid head, said auxiliary guiding prongs being extended substantiallyperpendicularly to the face of the head and flared laterally therefromto prevent jamming of the heads-in coupling under conditions of severedisalining. g

- 5. An automatic train pipe connector head having guiding prongsprovided with base portions 8 which extend forwardly of the head and atsubstantially a right angle thereto for a short distance to constitutesockets for closely engaging a correspondingly shaped surface 9 of acooperating head to prevent relative angular movement between the facesof coupled heads, said prongs being provided with lateral shoulders-12,lying in a horizontal plane and connected with said 'base portionsby curved portions 13.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

- JOSEPH V. ROBINSON. In presence of- M. H. BRAKHAGEN, ARTHUR L. BRYANT.

